Taste Receptors of the T1r Family from Domestic Dog

Abstract

The present invention relates to the discovery of several genes of the domestic dog (Canine familiaris) associated with taste perception. The invention provides, inter alia, the nucleotide sequence of the canine Tas1r1, Tas1r2, and Tas1r3 receptor genes, the amino acid sequences of the polypeptides encoded thereby, and antibodies to the polypeptides. The present invention also relates to methods for screening for compounds that modify the genes' function or activity, the compounds identified by such screens, and mimetics of the identified compounds. The invention further provides methods for modifying the taste preferences, ingestive responses, or general behavior of a mammal such as a dog by administering compounds that affect the function or activity of the gene or the polypeptide encoded thereby.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60 / 562,208, filed Apr. 14, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the field of sensory mechanisms of the domestic dog, Canis familiaris. The invention relates, for example, to the discovery of several genes of Canis familiaris encoding taste receptors of the T1R family, T1R1 (Tas1r1), T1R2 (Tas1r2), and T1R3 (Tas1r3). The invention further relates to the polypeptides encoded by the canine T1R1, T1R2, and T1R3 genes and to methods and uses of the same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The sense of taste is important for determining food choice, for regulating food intake, and for ensuring efficient use of ingested nutrients. Taste can act as a warning system for the presence of potentially harmful foods, by, for example, the aversive sensations of sourness or bitterness, and as ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to polynucleotides encoding a T1R receptor, including, but not limited to polynucleotides having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8, fragments of the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8 encoding a polypeptide having substantially the same biological activity as a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8, respectively; variants of the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ ID NO:8 having at least 80% homology to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ ID NO:8; polynucleotide variants of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8 encoding a polypeptide having substantially the same biological activity as a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8, respectively; variants of the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO

Problems solved by technology

Currently, mechanisms for identifying novel taste stimuli for the domestic dog are limited, for example, to exhaustive and difficult feeding studies in which a novel ingredient is paired with a control ingredient and intake of the two are compared.

Considerable time, effort, and expense can be expended in the discovery of a single stimulus.

Furthermore, canine illnesses often are exacerbated by the animal's refusal to eat.

Additionally, the molecular features that define acceptable taste stimuli for domestic dog remain largely unknown, making rational computational design approaches for taste stimuli difficult.

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